The work of the people. Our weekly rhythm of being together as a larger community to WORSHIP and CONFESS, to engage SCRIPTURE and PRAYER, to celebrate EUCHARIST, and to be sent back into the city with a BENEDICTION each and every week.

Receiving Love. How is God inviting the mess of who I am into love? (all of my questions, doubts, suspicions, addictions, smallness, all of it) What are the parts of my life that need a home in community? (will you bring them in slow and small ways)

Jason Minix starts our vision series on Rootedness by reflecting on what it means to become more rooted to God and a spiritual community [John 15:1-4].

Reflection

How am I being invited into rootedness now?

What surfaces for healing in me now as I consider rooting?

Spiritual Practice

Vine Inventory. What vines am I attached to right now? (friends, family, work, hobbies, faith community) How much do I give to them? (physically, mentally, emotionally) Are they still meaningful to the same degree they once were? Is it time to renegotiate my vines?

Consenting to Rootedness. What are we being invited to consent to, and where do I need to make space for healing first? How is God being stingy to bring to beauty and meaning every detail of my story eventually? How is God joyfully wasting love on me now?

Acceptance Prayer - God of acceptance, thank you for choosing me and refusing to reject me even when I reject you. Help me this week to believe you are accepting the parts of myself and others I find annoying and am embarrassed about. Show me how to accept ___ about myself this week with your compassion and gentle smile. Amen.

Welcoming Prayer - Welcome, welcome, welcome. I welcome everything that comes to me today because I know it's for my healing. I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions. I let go of my desire for power and control. I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval and pleasure. I let go of my desire for survival and security. I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself. I open to the love and presence of God and God's action within. Amen.

Name Empty Habits: What habits of thinking, feeling or doing have outlived their usefulness? How can we begin to see them for what they are? Consider your habits that attempt to address your spiritual needs. Do they do this, or are they empty? Begin to be curious about what’s behind them.

Consider an area of your life that feels overwhelming or too much. Perhaps there’s something you feel inadequate to navigate on your own. Hold out your hand with your palm open. Ask God to walk with you this week and give you wisdom in this area.

Host something or someone simple this week. What’s an area within or a person in your life whose simpleness is hard to be around? Offer what is simple the food and drink of empathy. Make room for questions that may not even have answers right now, but they are worthy of being asked.

Does gentleness, humility or patience most resonate with you right now? Practice living one out this week, and when you fail, double down on living it out for yourself all the more.

Consider who your rivals are and what is so threatening about them to you. How does this kind of hate create a barrier to allowing love to come in and go out in you life?

Consider what growth and maturity look like to you. Does it make space for you to play? Is there one way you carry yourself physically that is too rigid, too serious or closed off that doesn’t accurately communicate the love you have for others?

Practicing solitude and ease. Move into a solitary space and find some ease this week. What or where is my solitary space now? What is my process of entering into ease?

Practicing compassion. Where do I need guidance today? Where do I need to trust my Self (image of God) more? Where am I being invited to move from pity or empathy to compassion? With whom do I need to practice trusting they everything they need for healing?